Coldrif deaths: MP SIT detains manager linked to Sresan Pharma; political uproar over ex-CM Kamal Nath's condolence meet

BHOPAL: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Madhya Pradesh Police, probing the toxic cough syrup tragedy that claimed 23 children in Chhindwara and Betul districts, has detained a female production manager linked to the Tamil Nadu-based pharmaceutical company responsible for the fatal formulation. The woman, identified as K. Maheshweri, was reportedly in charge of quality control of oral liquid medicines at the company’s factory, which has since been sealed, sources said. "She has been detained and is being brought to Chhindwara for further investigations. We already have an arrest warrant against her and further formalities will be completed soon," said Pramod Verma, IG Chhindwara Range. Maheshweri is expected to be flown to Nagpur, he added. SIT sources said her detention followed strong evidence pointing to her direct role in overseeing the formulation and testing of the syrup batch that later proved fatal. Officials confirmed she will be arrested shortly. During an inspection, investigators seized crucial factory documents, logbooks, and quality-control records from the company’s Sunguvarchatram unit in Kanchipuram district, which was found operating in cramped premises with manual manufacturing systems and minimal oversight.

Officials noted the facility lacked proper automation, sanitation, and safety checks, factors that likely allowed Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic industrial solvent, to contaminate the syrup. Both Dr Ranganathan Govindan, owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, and Maheshweri are being interrogated by the SIT in Tamil Nadu to determine whether negligence, poor supervision, or deliberate tampering caused the tragedy. “The factory functioned more like a small-scale bottling unit than a certified pharmaceutical manufacturer. Each step of production — blending, filling, labelling — was done manually with little documentation or quality oversight,” an SIT official said. The 12-member SIT, led by ASP Anjana Tiwari, has divided the investigation into multiple segments, examining raw material suppliers, production logs, and distribution networks.

The team is coordinating with the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to trace how the contaminated syrup entered Madhya Pradesh’s medical supply chain. Forensic analysis of seized samples is ongoing to determine the exact technical fault that caused the poisoning. Officials confirmed that Dr Ranganathan and Maheshweri remain under continuous interrogation as investigators piece together the full chain of responsibility. Meanwhile, the incident has taken a political turn in Chhindwara. BJP MP Vivek ‘Bunty’ Sahu accused former CM Kamal Nath of “insulting the victims’ families” through political grandstanding. Sahu alleged that Nath held a condolence meeting in the lawn of the family of Dr Praveen Soni, the doctor currently jailed in connection with the deaths. The MP further claimed local Congress leaders attended the gathering to defend the accused doctor, calling the event “political theatre ahead of elections” that has “reopened old wounds instead of healing them,” leaving bereaved families frustrated. Recently, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has made Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and Ethylene Glycol (EG) testing mandatory for all oral liquid formulations, following an urgent recommendation from the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC).